Travel with the movies: Italy with Quantum of Solace

Quantum of Solace was shot across Italy, and is a beautiful showcase of the country

Many places stood in for others in the Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. The Atacama Desert in Chile was where the scenes in Bolivia were picturised, and this ‘Bolivia’ is supposedly where the villain of the film, Dominic Green, has his eco-hotel. The hotel itself was actually the workers’ quarters at the Paranal Observatory. Quantum of Solace also travels through Austria and Panama, the latter’s colonial quarter Casco Viejo standing in for Haiti.

Still, Italy stood its own in the movie, and easily, though the way to give it its due could well be to hit the pause button every so often, since Daniel Craig, 007 to give him his official name, does tend to rush through it as only a Bond can do.

First up in Italian landscapes is Lake Garda, where the opening car chase has Bond gunning his Aston Martin DBS on treacherous but scenic roads.

Next up is Carrara in Tuscany, where Craig runs through the marble quarries of Fantiscritti (above) and Canalgrande, and then come Siena, where he takes on the rooftops and the subterranean aqueducts under the city.

This is an Italy that gladdens the heart of the explorer. Lake Garda is the country’s largest lake, its shores dotted with little harbour towns. Of these, visit Sirmione (above), which has thermal baths, a 13th-century castle and the ruins of a Roman villa.

In Tuscany, forget quarries and go instead to Florence with its gorgeous Renaissance art and architecture (think Michelangelo’s David, and the Duomo basilica) as well as romantic vineyards and olive groves.

Siena’s historic centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site; it is known for its well-preserved medieval buildings.

Of course, visiting Italy is about much more than just art and architecture. There is the food, well beyond the basic pastas and pizzas that Indians love so well. Wandering down little cobblestoned alleys and following locals into a humble osteria or a more upmarket trattoria, or even a fine-dining ristorante will guarantee you a meal of authentic delights that you will almost never find back in India. Remember to seek out each city’s specialties: in Siena, panforte di Siena (above), a spiced fruit and nut cake, is an absolute must-try. And, of course, all this must be washed down with a respectable wine. The country is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions on the planet; do raise a toast to that! And, while you’re there, you’ll notice that the women are beautiful and the men handsome and chivalrous, and you’ll be in a Bond movie – of sorts – of your own.